Civil

When people go to rent a car after a long flight, they want the process to be simple, without any complications. The San Antonio International Airport in San Antonio plans to give travelers that convenience with its new Consolidated Rental Car (CONRAC) facility.

Turner Construction Co. Senior Project Manager Eric Wildt explains that the facility actually consists of two structures. “One is a seven-story parking structure with the first two levels being public parking,” he states.

On even the most visible projects, it’s not common that the owner invites the public to drop by the construction site. But the reconstruction of Seattle’s protective Elliot Bay Seawall is a once-in-a-generation project. Which is why the city has set up outreach initiatives and tours to help its citizens learn about the $410 million undertaking. “It’s part of Seattle’s history, not to be shied away from but to embrace it,” says Jessica Murphy, project manager for the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT).

The project will replace the existing seawall that support’s much of the city’s downtown infrastructure, including roads, freight routes, local and regional utilities, high-pressure gas mains, electrical and telecommunications wires and sewers. The seawall also abuts the Seattle Ferry Terminal, an important transportation point used by 8.5 million people each year.

The city of Calgary has undergone some significant changes over the last few decades; an ever-growing population, continued business and tourism growth and recognition as well as a burgeoning arts and culture scene. Another one of those changes has been continued growth in travelers who pass through Calgary International Airport (YYC). More than 15.2 million people came through the airport in 2014, whether making their way to and from the city or choosing Calgary as their connecting hub as they make their way to their next destination. This has made Calgary the third-busiest airport in Canada.

Many of those passengers used YYC as a hub to a number of the airport’s growing international destinations. The need for capacity inspired the airport to make the most sweeping changes in its history, expanding its facilities to better accommodate the surge of passengers it has experienced as well as prepare it for the growth in activity it sees in the future.

No matter how sophisticated or “smart” utilities or commercial builders have become, they still rely in many cases on products and services that one might think aren’t very complicated at all: the wooden utility pole and the laminated wood beam. For more than 100 years, Bell Lumber & Pole Co. has provided poles for utilities throughout North America, and its success in that market has allowed it to branch out to other areas such as laminated wood beam construction for commercial and industrial applications.

President Tom Bell says the key to Bell Lumber & Pole’s success throughout its history has been its insistence on dealing with customers face-to-face and always keeping one eye on the long-term. As the company gears up to commence its 10-year plan in 2016, Bell says the company’s future looks as promising as its past, even as the needs of its customers continue to evolve.

Tall buildings and attractions are an important part of any city’s character, but parks and public spaces can be an equally important visual element to a world-renowned skyline. As Toronto has seen a renewal in condominium and apartment building downtown, the province of Ontario is investing in waterfront projects to celebrate the region’s landscapes and connect those developments with Lake Ontario’s northwest shore.

To accomplish that transformation, the province selected Urbacon to build one of its new lakefront parks. “The intent is to take back the waterfront and make it more people friendly,” says Rick Spironello, vice president of special projects for Urbacon.

Reaching milestones in safety that few in the construction industry have ever accomplished and building lifetime partnerships with its clients are just a couple of the reasons Rummel Construction has become a leader in heavy civil construction. Celebrating its 20th anniversary next year, the company remains dedicated to delivering safe and innovative solutions through its experienced team.

“Rummel is a great place to work,” Vice President Scott Lane says. “It’s a family oriented company. The owners, Rod and Rick Rummel are involved in day to day operations and are often seen on job sites and participate in bid reviews. I believe that hands-on approach really gets conveyed to everyone from the equipment operators to vice president level. They care about our company and its future.”

When clients need heavy civil projects built with high quality and safety on time in New York or Florida, they contact The Middlesex Corp. Headquartered in Littleton, Mass., with offices in Orlando, Fla., and Newington, Conn., The Middlesex Corp. can design, build and renovate highways, bridges, marine, rail and transportation structures, and perform site development on large parcels. The company also has the bonding capacity to complete projects up to $1 billion in aggregate.

Among The Middlesex Corp.’s projects for transit agencies in New England and Florida are yard rail or track work extensions to miles of commuter rail, track bed preparation and continuous welded rail construction. The company also has extensive experience in building high-level passenger station platforms and signalized rail crossings.

Jordan Foster Construction was started in 1969 by C.F. “Paco” Jordan, a veteran construction professional who had worked in all phases of the industry. The company began as a small operation in El Paso, Texas, but has grown over the years to take on some of the largest industrial and commercial jobs in Texas.

“Paco Jordan was on the end of a shovel and worked his way through the ranks,” says John Goodrich, president of the company’s infrastructure and concrete division.

The infrastructure division was formed in 1994 because Jordan wanted to lessen the company’s reliance on subcontractors, Goodrich says. Five years later, the division began working on projects outside the company, serving as either a general contractor or subcontractor, Goodrich says.